The Belfast Co-op is sponsoring its fourth annual Native Perennial Plant Sale through Rebel Hill Farm, with all proceeds going to this MOFGA-certified organic farm. Catalogs are available at the Co-op and on-line at http://belfast.coop.

Julie and Peter Beckford of Rebel Hill Farm in Clifton, Maine, have raised organic, field-grown native perennials for over 20 years. They advocate that planting organically grown native perennials can help transform your yard into a wildlife preserve, sustaining the native pollinators and other animals they have co-evolved with. The Beckford’s catalog reads that “The plants we choose to grow matter a lot to wildlife and the surrounding natural areas.”

Pre-orders must be mailed to Rebel Hill Farm by May 5. Pre-ordered plants will be available for pickup at the Belfast Co-op on Saturday, May 10 between 9-11am in the Pendleton Lane side lot. There will be additional plants available on that day for spontaneous purchasing.

For more information about the ecological importance of planting native plants, visit: http://bringingnaturehome.net, a website which supports the lecture series and book Bringing Nature Home by University of Delaware professor Doug Tallamy. From that site: “Our studies have shown that even modest increases in the native plant cover on suburban properties significantly increases the number and species of breeding birds, including birds of conservation concern.”

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The community-owned Belfast Co-op, open 7:30am to 8pm daily, is located at 123 High Street in downtown Belfast. For more information about the sale, contact the Co-op’s education coordinator, Kate Harris at kate@belfast.coop or (207) 338-2532.